Marlins option hard-throwing reliever Carter Capps to New Orleans

The hard throwing right-handed reliever whose fastball has reached 101 mph was optioned to Class AAA New Orleans today, one of six moves made this morning by the Marlins.

Capps, 24, pitched in 17 games with the Marlins last season between an injury and stint in the minor leagues. He was placed on the DL May 26 with a right elbow sprain and did not return to the big leagues until Sept. 2, where he finished the season in the big leagues. He had a 3.98 ERA in 20 1/3 innings, 25 strike outs and five walks with the Marlins and 0-1 with a 1.26 ERA in 10 minor league appearances.

Capps, who was acquired prior to last season from Seattle for Logan Morrison, was competing for one of the final two spots in the bullpen. He struggled this spring, allowing five earned runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out six and walked four.

The Marlins continue to look for more consistency out of the 6-foot-4, 230-pound Capps.

“Last year he went down and worked on his delivery and being more consistent, he came up and was effective but then he got hurt. Right now what I see is command. He needs to be more consistent with his command. When that happens he’ll be ready.”

Competition remains for the final spot in the bullpen. The first five spots likely will go to: Right-handers Steve Cishek, A.J. Ramos, Bryan Morris and Aaron Crow, and lefty Mike Dunn. Either righty David Phelps or lefty Brad Hand (or possibly both) will make the team as long relievers/spot starters.

“We talk about our depth and to have a guy like (Capps) in the system in Triple A, he can pitch in the big leagues and get guys out and we knew that,” Redmond said.

In other moves: Pitchers Pat Misch, Vin Mazzaro, Pat Urckfitz and Ryan Chaffee and catcher Vinny Rottino were reassigned to minor league camp

* Phelps will start Wednesday’s game in Lakeland against the Tigers with Dan Haren pitching on the backfields in Jupiter. Haren is projected as the fifth starter. “We talked about all year having some of these guys stretched out in case we need him and that’s the case with (Phelps),” Redmond said. “The more prepared you are for that the better.”

* Christian Yelich will go thought all baseball activities on the backfields today before returning to the lineup Wednesday. Yelich is nursing a blister on his hand.

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